A Wednesday bond hearing in one of Lancaster’s recent street killings revealed a suspected connection between that case and another murder two weeks later.
Prosecutors asserted that Allen Cooper, a 17-year-old Lancaster High basketball player killed April 26 outside Hope on the Hill, participated in the April 11 drive-by murder of Mar’Quise “Mini Me” Evans.

A Buford man who was supposed to be helping an ailing neighbor around the house has been charged with stealing more than $21,000 in cash, jewelry and other items over the past year and half.
Jody Burnett Hartley, 48, of 4712 Tabernacle Road, is charged with grand larceny more than $10,000, forgery less than $10,000, theft of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.
According to the sheriff’s office incident report, a 71-year-old man and his wife who live near Hartley reported thefts totaling $21,350 on Aug. 31.

A trip through a license checkpoint didn’t end well for a Lancaster man after a sheriff’s deputy spotted a bag of marijuana on the man’s floorboard while he was trying to hide an open can of beer.

Manly Maurice Thompson, 41, of 1639 Franandel Drive, Lancaster, was arrested on one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (marijuana) after deputies discovered more than 2 pounds of marijuana and associated paraphernalia.

A teacher’s aide at Indian Land Elementary School was charged Monday with stealing about $8,500 from her second job at a cupcake shop in Fort Mill.

Melanie Marie Kikta, 35, 1004 Bailes Ridge Ave., Indian Land, was placed on paid administrative leave by the Lancaster County School District after district officials learned about the case over the weekend, said Bryan Vaughn, district safety director.

A Lancaster man has been charged with heroin trafficking after his wife accused him of beating her and holding her against her will.
In addition to the heroin charge, William James Beckham, 43, of 1665 Ruth St., is also charged with first-degree domestic violence and kidnapping.
According to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office incident report, the victim said she snuck out of the house about 5 a.m. Sept. 9 and walked 3 miles for help at the home of a woman she knew, who then called deputies.

Lancaster County will soon have its first no-kill pet sanctuary and will begin providing a safe haven to shelter pets by the end of September.
In June, the Indian Land-based nonprofit rescue group Paws in the Panhandle bought Palmetto Kennels, located off U.S. 521 just past Shiloh Unity Road north of Lancaster.
It’s a change in direction for Paws founder Gloria Davey, who had bought land in Fort Mill and planned to build a shelter from scratch there.

A Lancaster teen charged with murdering a 42-year-old man two years ago was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday after pleading guilty to lesser charges in Lancaster County General Sessions Court.
Derrick Leron Stalk, 18, formerly of 2125 Walden Road, pleaded guilty to one count each of voluntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm during commission of a violent crime in the Oct. 3, 2015, killing of Jeffrey Dale Barrett of 2167 Thomasville St.